CHAPTER IV. 



THE PRINCIPAL VARIETIES. 

 THE BELGIAN HARE. 



A great deal can be written in praise of an animal, 

 which may also be described in a few sentences. 

 Colour, style, and length of body and limbs are the 

 three essential characteristics of the modern Belgian 

 Hare rabbit. For many years the lop-eared rabbit held 

 sway, but premier position was gradually wrested from 

 it by the Belgian Hare. This member of the rabbit 

 family has brought some remarkable prices. Some few 

 years ago the Americans conceived a liking for the 

 Belgian Hare, and they went for it for all they were 

 worth. Many an English breeder reaped a rich harvest 

 by sales to the Yankees, and prices varying from ,5 to 

 ;5o fairly represent the figures touched in this remark- 

 able craze. All that, however, is but ancient history, 

 and many good specimens are now sold for as many 

 shillings as they would have fetched pounds in the years 

 when Uncle Sam was a-hobbying. Notwithstanding 

 the exhaustion of the American demand, high prices are 

 now commanded for good specimens, and the Belgian 

 Hare is about as profitable to keep as any of the fancy 

 varieties. They came from Belgium in the first in- 

 stance, but have been quite transformed in appearance 

 by English breeders, and competition at the Crystal 

 Palace and other shows is tremendously keen. We 

 shall endeavour to give a description of the several 

 points of a Belgian Hare, as we see them. First, then 

 we will take colour. Belgians vary somewhat in point 

 of ground colour, but there is no doubt that the most 

 successful, most popular, and most fascinating colour 

 is the rich and brilliant golden tan. Not yellow, washed 

 out colour, but that with plenty of body and brightness 



